I am starting to plan a trip for next year. I am planning to start in Istanbul, then to Ephuses (sp), and then I may or may not have time to do some other areas in turkey. But what I want to do is the greek islands.
I was thinking about doing the greek islands by ferry.
I understand it is not easy to get from turkey to greece...is this true?
I did read about a ferry that goes from ephesus to Samos.
I am not sure what islands to do and which to miss
I was thinking one night samos
one naxos
4 nights mykenos
2 nights Santorini
Then I was thinking flying santorini to London.
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
It's not at all difficult to get from Turkey into Greece. It all depends on where you end up in Turkey which Greek island is closest. For example, if you are going to Ephesus the closest Turkish port from which you can travel into the Aegean Sea is Kusadasi. From there you can catch a ferry to Samos, and from Samos you have several options depending on where you want to go next and where you want to end up. Since Santorini, Naxos and Mykonos seem to be among your choices then Samos would be where you want to go first out of Turkey.
Turkish Port <-> Greek Island:
Ayvalik>Lesvos
Cesme>Chios
Kusadasi>Samos
Bodrum>Kos & Rhodes
Marmaris>Rhodes
Fethiye>Rhodes
http://www.ankertravel.net/ferry2.asp
http://www.openseas.gr/OPENSEAS/index_en.vm
Most Greek Island ferry schedules for next year will not be available until a few weeks before they're needed.
I suggest you get yourself a good Greek island guide book such as T. Cook's "Greek Island Hopping" before deciding.
Posted by
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
536 posts
Lee is correct - no problem getting from Turkey to Greece and your Itinerary sounds spot on. I've spent a lot of time in all the places mentioned and you will love them
Greg
Posted by
Tampa, FL, USA
417 posts
Yes, Lee sounds right to me as well. Although, personally, I would take away one night from Mykonos and add one to Naxos, but I'm not much a partier and enjoy a quieter island.
Posted by
Belmont, on, Canada
1 posts
I am thinking about going the other way from Greece to Istanbul for a wedding.
Would you fly into Athens go to some islands and take a ferry or return to Athens or Crete and fly to Istanbul?
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
"Would you fly into Athens go to some islands and take a ferry or return to Athens or Crete and fly to Istanbul?"
You have several options for entering Turkey. You've mentioned one of them, although you can't fly from Crete into Turkey. No regularly-scheduled airline provides that choice. In the past Atlas Jet has offered charter flights between Istanbul and Mykonos, and if they do so again this year you could go from Crete to Mykonos on a highspeed ferry to catch that flight. Of course that would depend on your travel dates.
It would be less of a hassle to fly on www.skyexpress.gr from Crete to Rhodes, then take a ferry across into Turkey at Bodrum, Fethiye or Marmaris, then fly to Istanbul from there. Be advised that the Sky Express planes are small and have very strict and limited baggage allowances.
If you're only interested in Crete and Istanbul and noplace else in Greece or Turkey then it might be better if you were to return to Athens for a direct flight. But if you want to see some of the islands you can work the Greek Island to Turkey routes in the reverse order from what I've mentioned above.
Posted by
Brentwood, ca, USA
115 posts
Dont cut Turkey to short. We did both last summer, and loved Turkey of any other country we have been to. Try going further past Ephesus to the torquise coast. Its so beautiful, the was is to die for and you can swimm over ruins. Not near as crowed as Santourinni, and other Greek islands, and the prices are cheap.